2016 Theses Master's

Employment Policy and Sustainable Livelihoods of Landless Peasants in China: A Study in Zhengdong New Area

Zhang, Yuting

Landless peasants are peasants who have been deprived of their land in the process of urbanization in China and other countries. This thesis focuses on the impact of employment policies on the sustainable livelihoods of landless peasants in one of China's newly developed urban districts, Zhengdong New Area. I first provide the background of Zhengdong New Area, followed by a literature review of sustainable livelihoods, and of the role of government in the employment of landless peasants. In the analysis section, I develop an employment-related policy evaluation framework for examining the ability of landless peasants to maintain a sustainable livelihood, by detailing relevant indicators, including material and non-material aspects. I apply the policy evaluation framework to both policy design and implementation, finding that the non-material aspect of sustainable livelihoods has been largely neglected, and that the promises made to LPs in various policies have not been fulfilled. Lastly, I provide policy suggestions from a planner's perspective. In terms of policy design, I propose to define specific actions and hard numbers in which they can be measured, to give more considerations to LPs'non-material satisfaction, and to focus on the actual effects of policies. Regarding policy implementation, I propose a strengthening of supervisions, trying to cover the majority during the implementation process, and to achieve a balance between inadequate regulation and over-regulation.